DESCRIPTION: The Cancer Sampling Index (CaSIX) project will enhance the resources provided to the Physical Sciences Oncology Centers (PS-OC) Network community by providing a comprehensive analysis of physical properties, proteomics, and genomics of colon cancer tissue from six geographical locations. A physical, proteomic, and genetic intra-tumoral analysis of colon cancer will provide direct insights into both the relationship of these parameters relative to the heterogeneity of these tumors and the ability to test specific hypotheses in experimental systems using geographically matched samples. Furthermore, the CaSIX project will allow for integration with existing data sets available to the broader cancer research community. The NCI Office of Physical Sciences Oncology (OPSO) seeks the following requirements: Human colon cancer tissue removal at six physiological sites with strict acceptance criteria from at least six patients. o Point of deepest tumor invasion into or through the muscular bowel wall and/or surrounding tissues. o The epicenter of the tumor, representing the most central area from a 3D perspective. o The transition between tumor and normal bowel mucosa, representing the outer edge of tumor in the radial dimension at the mucosal surface. o Normal mucosa 5 cm from the tumor edge. o Normal mucosa 10 cm from the tumor edge. o Metastatic tumor from any grossly positive regional lymph node evident at the time of dissection Fluid biopsy samples at the time of surgery and follow up post-surgery Shipment of cells and tissues to external partners for data acquisition Genomics analysis Proteomics analysis Physical characterization such as cell phenotyping and the use of imaging modalities and probes that can delineate physical properties of cells such as cell stiffness of resident and circulating tumor cells. Physical characterization of tumor microenvironment such as acid and oxygen content and mass transport properties. A tissue source site will be required to prepare the IRB protocol, conduct patient recruitment, develop case report forms, and conduct surgical and phlebotomic tissue removal as well as pathologic analytical validation. Data acquisition sites will conduct indexing experiments to characterize the tissues physical properties, proteomics, and genomics profiles. Additionally, the resulting data will be uploaded to the PS-OC Data Coordinating Center (PS-OC DCC).